Either you empathize with someone and succeed looking at things from their perspective. Or you are the jealous jerk hoping to see them fail. There is no middle

Either you empathize with someone and succeed looking at things from their perspective. Or you are the jealous jerk hoping to see them fail. There is no middle ground, chose who you want to be. Empathy is a lot of work and it hurts too! If you did the first thought would be something like: "wow, that is hard. He/she must be grinding ways to fail and has to act upon each of them, plan their time and chose their actions carefully. Even if they get everything right success is not guaranteed or perhaps, if there is enough ambition, not even likely." What the other wants to hear when hard things are on the schedule is a summary of their accomplishments and perhaps how this project is going to present exactly the challenge that should come after it. Of course one should build walls to keep out the insensitive jerk. Avoid him if needed. Their world is so dull because no one ever shares that what makes them tick with them. A stamp collector will never share with them why he collects stamps. They will never become a stamp collectors. The jerks world is static, without change and they think they prefer it that way. How dare you suggest there could be more. But jerks they are by choice. It is no different from telling a homeless person they might never find a home. An unemployed person they might never find work. A beggar that they will probably starve. I think you will never be able to pay your debt. You will probably get back to drinking/drugs/smoking if you try to quit. etc etc hey, I'm just being objective here! I'm a realist you know!